Virgin of Quito
18th century
Medium
Wood, polychromed and gilded; glass eyes; silver halo
Dimensions
H. 25 in. (63.5 cm.)
Classification
Statuette
Culture
Ecuadorian
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Loretta Hines Howard, 1964
Accession Number
64.164.235a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Virgin of Quito*, a 18th-century Ecuadorian sculpture attributed to Bernardo Legarda and Miguel de. Carved from wood and meticulously polychromed and gilded, this devotional image of the Virgin Mary features striking glass eyes that lend an uncanny lifelike gaze and a radiant silver halo that catches the light. At 25 inches (63.5 cm) tall, its intimate scale invites personal contemplation, embodying the artistry of colonial Latin American religious sculpture. This reflects Quito's vibrant sculptural tradition during the Spanish colonial era, where European techniques met fervent C...
About the Artist
Bernardo Legarda|Miguel de Santiago ( | ) · 1731 |1600 –1773 |1699
active 1731–73|17th century